Clipped Wings
by Blue Quartz
Summary: Who is the master? Who is the servant? Or do the lines between the two roles merely bleed into each other? The most lethal game of "cat and mouse". AxI
1. Default Chapter

Clipped Wings  
  
Notes: Hello peoples! This is Blue Quartz and this is my first Hellsing fic but hopefully not my last. This will be an Integra centered fic so if you don't like her for some reason then you are free to go. Oh and there might be some implied, or blatant, Alucard and Integra, but not enough fluff to develop cavities, hopefully. If you review please be kind. I do not own Hellsing, its' characters, plot, or anything, in any form or fashion so no suing please. Well I think that has everything covered so onward to the fic! Enjoy ^_^  
  
Chapter One  
  
Rouge Marionette  
  
Slowly I lift my head to take a quick glance around my surroundings, taking note that I have not awoken inside my comfortable bedroom but in the center of the air ducts of the mansion. For a moment my mind is a fog as to why I am here. Then in a rush that could rival a tidal wave I began to recall everything that had happened from the other day to the moment that I had passed out inside the air ducts.  
  
Father.  
  
It all happened so fast.  
  
I never, I never expected it.  
  
This is wrong.  
  
He is Lord Hellsing. He's my father. He is strong, devoid of vulnerability in any form; he is invincible, so he can't be dead.  
  
I know that it is better to replace those is's with was and just accept that he was all of those things but not anymore; however it is so hard, and painful, to think about him not being.alive anymore. I shutter to think what is going to happen to me now that he is gone. That is why I am crawling in this air duct like common criminal in my own household. Now I have been told that I am very sensible girl, which is quite true because I don't believe in the bogie man, ghosts, or even fear the threat that I have been taught to annihilate.  
  
Vampires.  
  
That is all Hellsing is about. And being the only child and heir to the Hellsing organization I have been taught that it is my duty to both retain the household as well as run an underground resistance against the undead that plague Great Britain. They devour blood just as the vampires in lore; however on the contrary to the methods of their destruction being as easy as impaling them on a convenient stake or blinding them with the holy light from a cross, modern weapons and tactics must be implemented to ensure their destruction. But as I said before I don't even fear the blood suckers that I have been born and raised to kill. No, I fear for the safety of my life because of a mortal man whom is my relative by my father's blood. Uncle Richard and his loyal goons have been hunting me down since late last night. From my hiding place I could hear them literally turning the mansion upside down trying to find me.  
  
Idiots.  
  
I bet they never thought to look into the air ducts. This blissful ignorance can't last forever though, they will begin to grow restless and check even the most absurd places in the house for me to hide in so if I don't do something now they will find me. If only Walter had been here, he would have never allowed Uncle Richard to get within fifty feet of me, but sadly Walter is in South America. I can't leave the compound for several reasons. One being that if I so much as step foot into the back gardens Uncle Richard and his lackeys will be all over me before you can say "Shit". Secondly I refuse to leave my home. I belong here not my filthy uncle.  
  
I will not runaway and allow him to claim my rightful inheritance. On the other hand I can't take back my inheritance just sitting around here, but what can I do?  
  
Where can I go?  
  
Go to.  
  
Go to.  
  
Of course! I knew that I was missing something! Quickly I arise from lying on my stomach and start crawling on my hand and knees through the air duct as my father's words race through my head. These words had instructed me not to long ago that if I were to ever need protection or an emergency arose I was to go down to the underground prison, inside one of the cells would be where I would find my salvation. Oh God I hope that I can make it before anyone discovers my hiding place. I can hardly believe that I let that piece of information escape me.  
  
All of this could have been over with hours ago if I had only remembered. The air duct continued on for a several more minutes until I find my destination. Right below me is the armory and shooting range, below it would be the underground prison. Sliding back one of the ducts I grasped the edge, gently swinging back and forth for a moment before I released my grip to fall to the floor without a scratch. Up ahead I can see the bullet proof glass that heralds to the indoor shooting range. I spent most of my afternoons here, practicing my aim, which I am proud to admit, isn't half bad.  
  
But this is no time to dwell on that, I must hurry and discover this mystery that father had said would protect me from danger. Racing through the hall as fast as my tired feet will carry me I reach the door that leads to the dungeon. Almost home free. Then I hear the crackle of a shotgun and shouts. Rashly I turn my head to find that several men are following me and leading them is my uncle. Damn! I should have come here sooner! I can't give up though, not when I am so close. Turning my head back to face forward I see the door leading to the prison drawing ever closer but I have to reach it before the next bullet can imbed itself into my person. Another shot is fired but thankfully whoever was aiming at me was a terrible marksman because it missed me completely. My hand finally reached the handle to the door, the cool metal sinking into my hand as I roughly jerk it to open.  
  
"You idiots'! Stop her before." my uncle's ranting voice is cut off by the slam of the door. My hand snaps away from the door as I turn to sprint down the corridor that was used to torment and contain. My eyes glance to the side, peering through the bars of the abaonded cells as I run, hoping that my salvation will jump out at me so that I won't have to waste valuable time looking for it. I receive my answer in the form of a large oak door at the end of the hallway. It looks normal enough from my distance from the door that I had entered but as I draw closer I began to notice that there are strange symbols written in maroon colored paint.  
  
Could this be where father meant for me to go? Does my safety lie just behind that door?  
  
My exhaustion is taxing my body as I try to keep a running pace to the door at the end. The dank air filling my lungs smelling of rot and mold isn't helping either but I refuse to let Uncle Richard win, I refuse to give up when I have come this far.  
  
By the time I am halfway down the hall Uncle Richard and his men have already broken through the door and are chasing me; occasionally bullets fly above my head, one even grazed my right leg causing me to stumble thereby losing valuable ground. At long last I reach the door, but my relief is tainted when I realize that the symbols are not written in paint but.blood, dried blood. God I can't think of that now! I have to get away. I must live. My hand clasps to the handle trying to yank it forward; but whether by rust or a lock on the other end, I can't seem to pull it open. No. No. No. NO! Not when I have come so far. Jesus have mercy on me.  
  
"Have nowhere to run now do you Integra." Uncle Richard mocks as he steps closer to me while his men hold back. My ears are deaf to his words though for the only thing that my senses are focused on is the loaded handgun that he has within his right hand. Behind my back my hands, still clining to the door, visible tremble as my eyes remained on my uncle.  
  
Inhuman.  
  
Beast.  
  
Monster.  
  
He is willing to destroy me just to gain what is rightfully mine.  
  
I shall deny him by living. No matter what the cost, I shall make it out alive. Then pain, horrible pain blossoms on the side of my face as the bullet that I didn't even hear fire nicked the right cheek of my face. I can feel the warm sticky flow of crimson trail down the side of my face as I gaze at my blood relation in shock. He shot me. I knew that he wasn't above killing me, but to have him actually fire at me.  
  
He laughs as if he knows the confusing thoughts that now race through my mind. "Didn't think I would shot a girl?" he replies mockingly as he raises the gun again this time at my heart, at point blank range.  
  
His trigger finger cocks the gun back, the sound echoing in this hallow place. I can think of nothing, I can only see my uncle. I can only hear the last gunshot, his words and now the ready gun; I can taste blood on my lips. Just like the blood written on the door behind my back. Christ I have to try the door just one more time. I firmly set my hands on the handle and force it down. With a click that directly followed the gun cocking I feel the door give way as I push against it.  
  
Without sparing a glance at my uncle and his gun I slip in between the door and the entrance only to trip as I missed the first step. I reached out to grasp the door for support but then my uncle fires. I close my eyes as the while thinking of how I can't die, of how I can't let him win out through my death as pain once again familiarizes itself with my body as the bullet imbeds itself into my shoulder, splattering blood across the steps and the floor. Roughly I land on my side connecting with the concert ground. My eyes flutter closed for a moment but just as quickly I am brought back in time to see my uncle dismount the short staircase to come level with the ground I lie upon.  
  
"What's that? Behind the girl" one of his men question aloud.  
  
I tilt my head trying to see what the fool was talking about only to have my breath caught in gasp. For lying just inches from my head was a corpse wrapped in an old and moth-eaten clothe that appeared to be a straight jacket. White hair matted with dirt and dust sprouts from the top of this figure and trials down to its' waist as inhumanly long and lanky legs stick out to almost touch my head. I can't believe that a body still in this prison since this level has been cleaned out for ages. This is the protection that my father had told me to find?  
  
A corpse.  
  
My uncle laughter causes me to turn my head back to the threat that I must now face alone. He comments on how I now have an escort to the afterlife. I can't turn my head away from the man and the gun, all my attention focused on how to escape, but my shoulder greatly protests and so does my leg, which I think has been broken since I tumbled down the stairs. I am shocked out of my senses by a strange sound. Not the crackle of a firing gun or even the scamper of a rat but more like a.slurping sound.  
  
"What in the hell?" my uncle mutters as he stares pass me and at the corpse behind me so I in turn glance backward to see the once unmoving corpse was bent over; its' arms still penned to the side with the jacket. Its' head bent low covering the eyes as a freakishly long tongue protruded through thin lips.laps up the blood that had been spilled. My blood. This corpse was drinking my blood. Realization came to me in a rush; this wasn't a corpse I was looking at, but a dormant vampire.  
  
'Such sweet blood'  
  
What was that? A voice? Inside my head? Have I gone crazy?  
  
The long tongue reaches out to take in more of the crimson liquid I hear the voice inside my head.  
  
'It has been so very long since my last feast'  
  
The creature's tongue slowly retracts back to it's mouth but not before a single drop of blood falls and stains its' bottom lip. Then it raises its' head and I find myself staring into eyes of red, as red as the blood it had just consumed.  
  
'It is you who have awoken me. It is your blood that I must have' the voice that belongs to the creature confirms as it slowly arises.  
  
It staggers to stand on those ridiculously long legs to walk. At that moment the trance that had captivated my uncle and his men breaks for they pull out their guns and fire at the vampire, while their intended target is forgotten. Bullets fly at him from point blank range; I can hear the ripping of flesh and the slick spill of blood or whatever runs through a vampire's veins. I can see the holes and marks that the bullets make in his skin and yet he still walks, this time his focus lies on them, as if the bullets that hit him are nothing but harmless butterflies. A scream from one of the men breaks and echoes along the spider web covered walls as the vampire easily slices off his face clean off his skull.  
  
Tossing the flesh carelessly aside the vampire opens his large mouth to gorge himself on the fountain of blood as the others continue to fire a rain of bullets at him. The vampire turns to face them; fresh blood splatters gleams off his pale face as he quickly slices through the remaining men and just as eagerly as the first soaks in their blood. My uncle Richard is the only man left standing that is until the vampire rips his right arm clean off his shoulder, as with the others the vampire licks his blood only to spit it back out on the floor right before he tosses my uncle against the opposing wall with a sickening crack.  
  
Oh father, how could you.  
  
How could you seal my protection inside a creature so vile?  
  
With my uncle and his goons out of the way the vampire wastes no time turning his attention back to me. Without thinking I grab the gun that lay in the now limp arm of my uncle. I turned to fire at the beast but he is very fast, too fast. With a slam he has me cornered against the stonewall both of his hands trapping me on either side; the gun in my hands frozen on the trigger as I stare into the eye of the monster that has murdered ten men, not counting my uncle, in under five minutes. His skin is pale and tight appearing against his bones, his silver hair is coated in blood, and his eyes.oh God I can't even look at those horrible, horrible eyes of his.  
  
And yet I can't seem to force myself to look away from them. As I said before his eyes are red, the deepest blood red that I had ever seen or ever wish to see. His mouth is stretched into an absurdly wide grin; showing off his crimson stained teeth and enlarged fangs.  
  
"So.you are the one who has awaken me," the beast says, his warm breath reeks of rot and now the fresh cooper scent of blood.  
  
My only reply to his statement is a raised hand, holding the gun. I hear a low rumble start in his chest as it travels to his throat and escapes his lips in a chuckle. He is laughing at me. The monster is making a mockery of me. This causes my temper to spike. No one, especially an undead freak laughs at Integral Wingates Hellsing, no one. I squeeze the trigger to fire at him but as with the bullets that my uncle and his men had fired the bullet is simply absorbed into his skin. Dear God, I can't kill the thing. I am going to die by the hands of what was supposed to be my salvation.  
  
'Do you really believe that I will kill you? To waste blood that tastes this sweet would be a crime,' the vampire whispers inside my head 'Such a shame that you are merely a human though; but I can easily remedy that.'  
  
"What, what do you mean?" I reply, my hand lowering the useless gun.  
  
'If you drink my blood little girl, I can make you into a vampire. My eternal servant.'  
  
This is an outrage! Me become a vampire! And not only that but a servant to this monster as well! No I would rather die then to become such a disgrace to my family's name. I don't care if this gun is useless, I will keep shooting this beast until all the bullets are gone, so I press it against his temple but before I pull back the trigger I have to let him know the grievous mistake that he has made.  
  
"No! I refuse to become a creature like you! I refuse to serve anyone! I am Integral Wingates Hellsing, and no one is my master!" I growl only to have my voice grow along side my degust and anger until I am yelling at the top of my lungs.  
  
Again he laughs, but this time his mockery is tempered by a different emotion that I can't describe.  
  
"Of course. I expected nothing less from you Miss Hellsing. You are your father's daughter."  
  
With those words he removed his hand from the wall, backing away just a few inches as he bowed his head bringing himself down on one knee. He.he was bowing.to me. I don't understand, one minute he had the audacity to offer me to become a vampire and now he was bowing to me.  
  
"Your orders Lord Hellsing."  
  
I am stunned speechless, now he is calling me Lord Hellsing, even though that will be my title in a few short days I still can't believe that this.monster that had destroyed those men's' lives is submitting to me, a little girl. However my thoughts are interrupted by a shout coming from the pile of corpses across the room.  
  
"No! Hellsing is mine!"  
  
Following the voice I find my ashen-faced uncle still alive and holding another gun in his trembling left hand. He clicks the trigger back firing right at my exposed body, aiming right for the heart. I close my eyes without thought as I prepare for the bullet to hit.but that time never came. For I heard the smack of a bullet being taken into flesh but I did not feel the pain. Cautiously I pried one eye open to find the vampire looming over me, his left arm extended to catch the bullet that should have killed me. I looked up to catch his eye but the vampire had turned his head to face my uncle.  
  
"Your blood reeks! You don't deserve to be Lord Hellsing," the vampire snarls.  
  
'Now is your chance'  
  
'What?'  
  
'Shoot him.'  
  
'But.but I.can't'  
  
'Yes you can.'  
  
'He.he's my uncle! I can't just shoot him!' I pleaded with the beast.  
  
There was a short pause before he replied.  
  
'Yes he is your uncle but if you don't finish him off by yourself than you are not worthy of your title.'  
  
'I refuse to bring myself to his level!' I snap.  
  
'Sometimes the best way to destroy evil is to beat it at it own game. Now shoot him before he can escape.'  
  
I girt my teeth as I watch my uncle panic and arise to the staircase. His back turned to me I raised the gun, my finger locked on the trigger.  
  
'What's your name?' I asked the vampire to get my mind off of the sin I was about to commit.  
  
'My last master called me Alucard.'  
  
My uncle's remaining hand clasped on the door as he fumbled with the tricky door I took in a deep breath as I tried to focus my aim on the frantic man standing at the door.  
  
'Thou shall not kill."  
  
Click.  
  
Notes: Sorry if this chapter wasn't very exciting I promise to do better. I also applogize if I added or excluded some of the diolouge or events because I have only seen Order Ten once and that was two weeks ago so my memory is kind of fuzzy. Please review and be on the look out for more chapters to come since I plan to cover the years between the first meeting and the anime and even the anime. Thanks for reading.  
Peace ^_^ 


	2. Succession

Clipped Wings  
  
Notes: Wow! Thank you guys so much for reviewing, I was really worried that I would be attacked with flames since I wasn't completely accurate concerning Order Ten. Your reviews have encouraged me to follow through with my "threat" to add more chapters. Well enough of my jabber onward to the next chapter. Enjoy ^_^  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Succession  
  
Darkness.  
  
Not the blissful darkness of sleep but the unstable night of unconsciousness. Pain dulled out along with the rest of the world that I knew was revolving outside my tightly sealed cocoon. At times I would break through the ironclad grips of exhaustion and become aware of the world but most of the time I reveled in the security of the darkness.  
  
This isn't right.  
  
I know that I must fight back, that I must awake but it is so warm here, so peaceful.  
  
I have a mission; I have a new life that is waiting to start just beyond this realm.  
  
Oh but for a few more moments to live in this serenity.  
  
No! I've got to fight, this has to end now or I won't be able to arise from drowning. Quickly I strive to fight back my exhaustion and now awakening pain at my side, my shoulder, my leg, even my face hurts. It hurts like hell but I can't let that stop me. Slowly I open my eyes, at first I can see nothing but dark shadows. How long have I been asleep? Has night fallen already?  
  
Steadily my vision clears so that I can see the outline of a room, a room draped in shadows. I begin to recognize the shadows, a writing desk in the corner, a dresser with various nick-knacks placed on its' surface. My room. But how did I get here? The last thing I remembered was being down in the underground prison. My uncle and his men had chased me down there and then.  
  
I fight back a gasp. The vampire. He had torn through those grown men as easily as if they were under stuffed rag dolls. He feasted on their blood. Then he turned to me giving me an offer I more than gladly declined. And then..  
  
"Thou shall not kill"  
  
Oh God, what have I done?  
  
My entire body trembled with terror. I had committed the worse sin a mortal could achieve. I ended the life of another soul. My heart hammers in my chest as I consider what people will think when they find out what I did.  
  
Will I be arrested? Sent to prison? Will I have to be executed? Will I have my title taken away from me? That last option scares me even more than me losing my life. I could be burned at a stake for all I care as long as I die with the honor of being Lord Hellsing and not just a criminal.  
  
Yet if anything is to happen my title will be the first thing to go. I can't let that happen, I have to find someone to either prevent my uncle's death from reaching public ears or build up a case to prevent me from losing should I have to go to court. Self-defense, protection of my inheritance and life should be good enough.  
  
A noise pricks my curiosity but before I can determine the identity of it or even find out where it came from it fades into nothingness. Has the room grown colder or is it just me? I must be going insane, first I converse with a vampire before killing a blood relation and now I am hearing things.  
  
There! There it is again! I turned my head only to hiss in pain as my wounded cheek rubs against my pillow roughly and begins to bleed again. I can recognize that sound now; but this knowledge brings me little comfort, it is the vampire's mocking laughter. He is still here? You would think such a creature would have more sense than to stay inside the mansion which houses an organization bent on his kind's destruction.  
  
I can't kill him. It is impossible to destroy him. At least it is impossible to defeat him with bullets.  
  
That thought causes my blood to run cold. I am alone, save for a few servants, with a vampire roaming the halls of my household. Has his "feast" satisfied him earlier or is he still-hunting for more blood? This triggers a memory from only hours before. He hadn't killed me on sight because of my blood. He had said it tasted sweet therefore he offered to become a creature like him instead of destroying me.  
  
Without thinking my uninjured hand grasps my neck to shield the tender flesh. I am surprised to find the skin untouched. Surely if he wished to make me his servant he would have done so while I was unconscious. Not a mark, or a bruise or even the tell-tell sticky cling of dried blood lies on my throat. A feminine scream echoes through the halls. One of the servants, he was still hungry so he was now eating the servants.  
  
I should do something, but each move that I try to makes my body feel like a thousand knives are impaling me to the bed. I can't just sit here though; I have to stop him somehow. I've got to keep this monster under control. Or better yet find a way to kill him. I need to do something but pain and, dare I even admit it, fear is holding me back. I am afraid of the monster that I unwillingly unleashed and now my father's people are suffering for it.  
  
Turning to my side as quickly as my battered body will allow me I set my feet onto the floor to stand. My knees shiver and try to buckle underneath me but I have got to get out of this room, I have to find and destroy that, that monster. My first step forward is puncher by immense pain shooting up from my right leg that had crumbled beneath me when I had fallen down the short staircase. White spots dance before my eyes as my body folds in on itself so that I tumble to the floor. It takes a few moments before I can breath normally; my pulse is still racing, my hands tangling themselves into the sheets that spill over the edge of the bed.  
  
Get up and walk.  
  
Another scream this time a man's, gunshot fires, then all is silence.  
  
He is close.  
  
Has he changed his mind since I rejected his offer? Will he kill me just to satisfy his hunger? My hands tighten their grip on the sheets, the knuckles turning white from the force of my grasp.  
  
I'll kill the bastard.  
  
With bullets, with a canon, with anything I can get my hands on. This is my father's house and no vampire is going to taint it with its' presence. First I need to get on my feet and get a weapon, hell I'll throw stuff at him if I can't find a proper weapon! Shakily I tried to rise again this time I managed to at least make it across the room to my dresser across the room but still having to pause once I reached it as my vision spun. Blindly I opened one of the drawers to extract a handgun and a few extra shells.  
  
Before I had always wondered why my father had always suggested that I should keep a loaded gun and shells in my room, now I know and I am more than grateful for his suggestion. I wonder if it is even worth chasing the vampire though, that last scream was so close probably only a few rooms away. That settles it I'll wait here for him.  
  
Coward.  
  
I am not a coward! If he is this close then there is no point at exhausting myself by chasing him down. I will however move to the door, opening it slightly so that I can get a clear aim. My plan is interrupted by yes another scream but this one is so distant that I think it came from the other end of the house. Damnit! He is quick. Wait a minute; if he was so close to me just minutes ago than why would he avoid my room completely?  
  
Saving the "best" for last are you, you monster! Or do you avoid me because you know that I'll be the one to end your pathetic life. Take courage and face me!  
  
I should be following those words though not him. My hand grasps the doorknob to give it a rough twist before tossing it open. Reckless as this action might be I will not allow this vampire to live under this roof a moment longer. The entire house is devoid of light, has the power been cut or something? The darkness is making it all the more difficult for me to find the vampire.  
  
I have a feeling that it is the monster's fault that the electricity in the entire mansion is cut off, maybe he knew that I would come looking for him so he added yet another handicap for me to adapt to. Light or no light I will find him and destroy him.  
  
'Wishful thinking at best little girl' the monster's voice interrupts my minds. 'I knew you would come looking for me. Come and find me. That is if you dare to.'  
  
Spinning on my heel I lift the gun to shoot the first thing to move only to find nothing behind me. A shutter runs down my spine, he could be anywhere and I am, for lack of a better term, left in the dark.  
  
Again that mocking laughter of his erupts and echoes off the empty halls. 'Let's play a game little girl. Try to find me before I can catch you. Come now don't be shy.'  
  
A game? A game?! He's toying with me. All right I'll "play". It makes no difference of who finds whom though for either way I will kill him. If I where a vampire where would I go? He wouldn't go back to the dungeons would he? No I don't think he is down there. He is somewhere in this part of the house.  
  
With nothing but a loaded handgun and luck on my side I begin to prowl up and down the corridors of the house, occasionally opening doors.  
  
After half and hour of searching with nothing to show for it but exhaustion and reopened wounds I am becoming desperate. I have searched all four levels of the mansion but I so far found nothing but corpses of the staff, drained of blood. But I can't stop though, I have to find him, even though I know that he isn't even attempting to come after me I need to find him. Ascending back up the staircase to my father's office I am beyond weary, my wounds oozing blood staining my white shirt there are even splatters of blood on my skirt. So tired.  
  
I want to just fall to the ground and go to sleep, but I can't stop. He'll come if I stop, he will hover over me like a vulture waits out an animal before it dies, then he will take me without so much as protest.  
  
Reaching the top level I rehash my search of the third floor, this time I head to my father's office, which I hadn't checked before. Why you ask? Because it unnerves me to even consider that the monster is hiding in such a place. It would be nothing sort of sacrilegious. Yet I am drawn to the room, my hands falling on the handles and gently twisting it to open the door wide enough for me to enter. From here the world around me takes upon a surreal quality.  
  
I look around to see the office not drench in the soft silver light of a moon but late morning sunlight filters through the large twin windows. Glancing at the clock I can see it is ten o clock on the dot, the same hour that I would enter the office for lessons from my father. He would teach about the Hellsing orgization worked, protocol as leader, and of course my enemy. The room smelled strongly of cigars and.cologne. My father always wore this slightly spicy cologne, sometimes a little bit too much, but it never mattered to me because it was all a part of what made father, well him.  
  
Tears prick me eyes as I look around, the room hasn't changed at all, foolish to think that I would I suppose since my father has only been dead for three days, or four considering that it is morning now. I miss him.  
  
"Integra, you're late again."  
  
Oh my God! That voice! But it couldn't be.he's dead.  
  
"Integra."  
  
No, I can't look. I mustn't look. He is dead. This is all a dream. That's it I have fallen asleep and now dreaming.  
  
Suddenly two firm hands place themselves on my shoulder. I can feel the warmth of another person. The scent of the cologne is stronger now.  
  
No it can't be him. It just can't be. Still in denial I turn my head slightly to see part of the figure's face. Blue eyes that match my own stare back at me, golden blond hair, a slight indulging smile on his face. It is him. I don't know how or why but this man is my father. I feel a large watery smile curl on my lips as tears that I had been holding since I have entered the room burst.  
  
"Father!" In an uncharacteristic display of emotion I wrap my arms around him, so glad that he was back, that everything had been a nightmare. I started crying, out of joy, as I brought my head to rest on his chest. He's here. He's alive. All those horrible things never happened.  
  
My uncle didn't try to kill me; I didn't find any vampire whom was now chasing me. I was no longer alone.  
  
Gently he brings his arms to encircle me into a returned embrace, "It's alright Integra, I am here."  
  
This is wonderful. Perfect. My hand grows limp, as does my grasp on the gun. Everything it okay again. No reason to carry this gun around. Slowly the weapon starts to slip out of my hand, hanging by a thread before succumbing to gravity to fall to the ground with a clatter.  
  
I am unfazed by the noise, my mind relived that everything is as it should be. I wince as the wound on my face is reopened for the second time recently, blood coming to the surface of my skin. Hold on. If all of things that had happened to me have been a dream then why is my face bleeding?  
  
A trap!  
  
This is all just an illusion set up by the vampire! Roughly I push my "father" backward. Shocked he backs away a half step; a confused look on his face but it softens into a look of concern.  
  
"Integra, are you feeling well?"  
  
Swiftly I bent down to pick up the gun I had dropped. Cocking it back I raise it to aim right at the chest of my "father". Two shots ring out to hit the fake. A short scream is released as the image fades into nothing. He is here.  
  
I cock the gun back, ready to fire at a moment's notice.  
  
"I know that you're here." I growl lowly in my throat. "I will give you till the count of three to show yourself." I wait a moment before beginning the count and when he doesn't show I start counting.  
  
"One." My hand holding the gun shivers at the room grows colder.  
  
"Two." I try to listen out for the slightest sound or see any sort of movement.  
  
'Three'  
  
"Ah!" I spun around to shoot but he fades into the shadows so I miss him completely. I am sick of these "games" of his! In a rage I fire two more shoots at the wall I had seen him disappear to.  
  
'Wrong way Miss Hellsing' his voice mocks.  
  
Again I turn to follow his movements only to come two seconds too late. Now out of ammo I dig into the hidden pocket of my skirt and dig out another cartridge of shells to load them back into the gun.  
  
"You should have had more sense than to stay here you freak of nature." I growl as I try to fire at his head but the shot just brushes past him.  
  
That infernal grin is pasted on his face. Even from the lack of light and distance I can see his teeth stained with blood.  
  
"And then you have enough brass to enter my father's office and then use your cheap tricks to impersonate him!" I clicked the trigger back.  
  
"I will not let you leave this house alive." I whisper as I fire three shoots.  
  
This time the bullets do hit his skin, but they do no harm, merely absorb into the skin. I don't care though; I keep on firing round after round until I was down to my last cartridge. I have yet to wound the monster for he either moves too quickly or he slows down deliberately so that the bullets hit but don't do any damage. Is there anyway to kill this thing.  
  
He suddenly stops right in front of me, only a few feet separate us. The smirk on his face is replaced by an expression of annoyance. The monster takes slow and deliberate steps towards me. Perfect time for me to become terrified, I can't even lift my hand to fire the gun at him. Soon we are face to face yet he pushes the personal boundary even more by getting up in my face so that we are eye to eye. My hands shake uncontrollably as the beast stares me down.  
  
'What did you call me?' he said slowly, his tone laced with barely concealed malice.  
  
"Monster, Beast, Freak of nature." I rambled, growing increasingly nervous in his ruby gaze.  
  
'No! Just now. Tell me'  
  
My mind races as it tries to grasp what I had thought just before he walked over to me.  
  
"A thing" I replied softly.  
  
He pulls back, thank God, but he still eyes me with a dangerous look in his eyes. I fear that he will strike me but more than likely he'll kill me where I stand. Then he laughs, this laugh is different though than the mockery, it is dark and fear instilling.  
  
"A "thing" am I? Hmm that's interesting to say the least." He throws a very snide grin at me. "If I am, as you say, a thing, then what does that make you little girl? Are you insinuating that you are better than me? That you hold a higher position than myself? For if I am merely a thing than what does that make you lowly mortal?"  
  
Goosebumps prickle my skin; I haven't destroyed him but only made him mad. Carefully I tried to step back but as he did in the prison the vampire darted towards me and had me pinned to the wall.  
  
"Running away are we. What's the matter little girl? Are you afraid of the big, bad thing?"  
  
My lips are trembling too hard for me to give an answer; I can only stare at him in horror. I can't kill him. I can't run away. I can't give in though. Giving in would be betraying everything that I am, a human, as a Hellsing, as Integra.  
  
"My name is Integral." I snap. "Not little girl."  
  
He grins again, " I am glad we have finally completed our introduction."  
  
"Think of it as your going away present from me." I hissed as I attempt to pull my hand away from his grasp.  
  
He laughs, this time the mockery is back, and even though he still angers me I greatly prefer this laugh to the pervious one.  
  
"Going away? Me? Oh you are gravely mistaken Miss Hellsing if you think that I am going anywhere. I belong here just as much as you do."  
  
"You don't!" I yelled as I snapped my wrist away, bringing the gun to his forehead. "As acting Lord of the Hellsing organization I here by send you to hell!"  
  
My finger rapidly squeezed the trigger, emptying the gun into his skull. And still he laughs. Bastard I'll show him. I pull the trigger back again only to hear an empty click. Oh no, oh God no.  
  
Notes: Since not much is known about what happened directly after Integra and Alucard first met I decided to elaborate a bit on what might of happened, or at least what my imagination wishes had happened. Again thanks for your reviews and I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter. Peace ^_^ 


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